The Serpent's Lioness
by Mysterytears97
Summary: The Golden Trio along with an unexpected ally, Draco Malfoy have been working for years in the Ministry of Magic trying to restore order. Then...everything blows up in their faces, literally. Emotions and chaos run amok, but one unlikely and unwilling pair will navigate through the disaster and discover the one thing that prevails; true love. RATED M FOR SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE
1. Author's Note

**Hi guys, don't kill me I know I've like vanished since I finished An Unexpected Twist, but I'm back with a new Dramione! *cheers* I'll have it up as soon as I can but updates may come like wayyyy slower because I'm also writing on Wattpad under the username YieShyueny, plus school is a huge pain in my ass. So, I'm a little rusty with the Harry Potter world so don't kill me or hex me into next year because some things are 1. Made up, 2. Wrong, or 3. Just weird. Feel free to correct me! Just don't be harsh about it? I'm really hoping my writing has improved and I guess we'll see (: Hopefully some of my fans from AUT are still around :p**  
><strong>I'll have chapter one up soon! (typing it as it's posted)<strong>

**Do read and review! It makes me happy and gives me motivation! /strong/p**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here we have it. Chapter 1 of The Serpent's Lioness. Read and Review!**

Chapter 1

Hermione sighed, pulling her hair tie and releasing her sleek, curly hair. She had long ago tamed it using the new and improved Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, a hundred times more efficient than it was all those years back for the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. She shuddered, thinking of how badly that night went, and the one pair of gray eyes she could never seem to really forget. She shook her head, forcing those hauntingly hypnotizing gray eyes from her mind as she prepared for tomorrow's long day.

Having joined the Ministry of Magic right after graduating from Hogwarts, she managed to convince Ron and Harry to join her in rebuilding everything the war had destroyed, from relationships, to lost minds, schools, and the deep rooted mistrust in anything related to the Dark Lord. Draco lost everything, and Hermione was one of the few who had offered her aid when he was stumbling, lost to the darkness and horrors of war. The Dark Mark was a stark reminder of his mistakes, and he'd once confided in her that he'd tried to cut the Mark out, but when the wound healed, the Mark was still there. Hermione's heart went out to him, and every time she saw the scars around the Mark she was reminded that Draco wasn't a willing participant.

She felt her insides light up with excitement when she saw that she was working with Malfoy. Well, Draco now. It still seemed so strange, even after five years, that their supposed sworn enemy was part of their group, well sort of. She had long ago forgiven him for his cruelty towards her, and they had become great friends, but she couldn't shake the slight apprehension that crept up on her every time they were alone. Especially tomorrow. They were going to do some publicity to celebrate the end of the rebuild. Five long years and they were finally done. The apprehension however, was that Draco would snap at someone for making a comment and they would be back at square one.

"Suck it up Granger; you've already forgiven him. Look forward to going round with him,"

She chastised herself sharply before hopping into bed and snatching up the book she'd left by her bedside table.

Hermione shook her head at herself, having read the same sentence at least five times already. She knew she had to sleep, and hoped to god that the sleeping draught worked. She downed the purple liquid, wincing as it went down, then settled into her bed, praying for a good night's sleep.

* * *

><p>A terrifying shriek had Draco Malfoy jerking awake, alert and terrified at the same time. He scanned his room quickly, and released a breath he didn't know he was holding when he saw nothing happening. His relief however, was short lived. This time is was a pained cry, followed by another shriek, and Draco immediately knew who it was – <em>Hermione.<em>

He sprung out of bed, not bothering to put on a shirt before apparating straight into her room, all the while thanking his lucky stars they were familiar enough for him to go through her impossibly strong wards. He twisted and faced the sleeping girl, no _woman, _and his heart broke when he saw her sheets twisted around her and her face contorting in pain.

"No, stop, please, no" she murmured, tears sliding down her blotchy face.

Draco hurried over to her side and shook her gently.

"Mia, Mia, wake up," he whispered, shaking her shoulder.

She groaned and twisted away, whimpering in pain. Suddenly her body froze and she let out a heart-shattering sob.

Draco's heart lurched and he shook Hermione more vigorously, wanting her out of her nightmare.

"Granger! Granger, wake up!" he yelled, and she finally gasped awake, tears coming faster and harder as she sobbed into his chest.

"Her, it was her," she cried, her grip on me tightening as her sobs turned into broken cries.

Guilt rushed through him as he thought about his dead Aunt Bellatrix. She had caused Hermione this pain and Draco hated her with every fiber of his being for causing such pain to a brilliantly beautiful person.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he murmured, tangling his hands in her curly hair as he tugged her closer.

"D-Draco, could… could you stay with me?" she hiccupped, her watery brown eyes looking at him imploringly.

He shushed her and settled himself into her bed.

It was becoming a regular occurrence, and Draco couldn't decide if he liked it or not. On one hand he loved the fact that she trusted him enough to let him hold her so intimately, and letting him into such a private part of her life but he hated the circumstances they were under, and the fact that her nightmares were his fault. After the war they had quickly grown closer, their matching wit and intelligence creating long, fascinating conversations that Draco never tired of, no matter what ridiculous topic they were on about.

He was so lost in thought he didn't realize Hermione has fallen asleep on his chest. Sighing, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and pulled the blankets around them so they could both get some sleep.

"Goodnight Hermione."


	3. Chapter 2

Hermione woke, disoriented and her head pounding. She grimaced and lifted her head, only slightly surprised to see Draco asleep next to her, his morning wood pressing into her lower back.

_Guess the nightmares came again. _She mused, irritated that she could never remember what happened in the night, only knowing that they were bad enough to wake Draco, who lived next door.

Draco stirred, and opened one sleepy eye.

"You a'right Mia?" He rasped, voice husky with sleep as he rose, hair sexily mussed and sending tingles down her spine.

"I'm fine Draco, thank you for last night," she replied, blatantly ignoring the tingles, but couldn't help her roving eyes, staring down his lean and chiseled body, stopping where those sinful Vs were hidden by his low slung pajama pants.

A chuckle brought her eyes flying back to his face.

"I know I'm sexy Granger, but try to be a little more subtle, aye?" he smirked, before apparating back into his house and leaving a beetroot red Hermione Granger.

An hour later a sharp rap rang through the house, just as Hermione was getting the last of her things to leave. She was nervous, and the uneasy feeling that _something _would go wrong refused to go away. She called out that she'd be there soon and grabbed her peacoat before leaving the house.

"Morning Malfoy," she chirped, feeling much better after her shower and coffee.

"Morning. I would've thought we'd be past the last name basis by now _Granger,_" he drawled, sending her a teasing smirk.

He held his hand out to her and they apparated to the front of the Ministry of Magic's building. After the war, the Minister declared that no one was allowed to apparate in the building, for security reasons. No one complained because everyone knew he was trying to prevent a second break-in. The first had been a disaster, a second? Blasphemy.

"Hmm," she said, still distracted and apprehensive.

"What's wrong? No smartass remark? Something's wrong," he said, stopping them while they walked towards the lifts.

"It's nothing Draco I'm just nervous about tonight," she replied, still looking distracted.

Draco frowned but let it go, deciding that he'd pry it out of her eventually. They walked in an uncomfortable silence, lost in their thoughts, until they bumped into Ron.

"Weasel," Draco drawled, sarcasm dripping from every letter.

"Malfoy," Ron grunted, then turned to Hermione with a blinding smile.

"Hi Hermione! Why are you with the ferret?" he asked, his tone turning sour as he mentioned Draco.

Hermione and Draco just rolled their eyes and Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"His name is Draco, and please Ron, we've been working with him amicably for the last five years. Why would you want to cause trouble now? Are you having a relapse?" Hermione asked, drawing her wand just in case.

Shortly after the war ended, the remaining death eaters had kidnapped Ron for six months and tortured him to the point of insanity. Harry, Hermione, Blaise, Luna, and Draco had tracked him down and saved him, but he was different. He was short-tempered, colder, and sometimes an insufferable twat.

Once, he'd been so lost in his own mind he had attacked Harry and Draco, yelling out _Avada Kedavra_ so suddenly, and with so much anger and hatred, it broke through Harry and Draco's quickly thrown up _protego _charm, almost killing them. Hermione had shot a Full Body Bind Curse at him_, _rendering him paralyzed until they could get help.

Hermione worried constantly because she felt a dark aura surrounding him after they had rescued him, and despite multiple tests, she couldn't find anything wrong. She caught him muttering things to himself, and glared at her when she asked if he was alright. She desperately wanted to help the man she used to love but she just didn't know how.

Ron just laughed and waved her off, the twinkle in his eyes telling her enough.

_He's fine, just being his newly eccentric self, _she reminded herself, then let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I'm fine Mione. Just excited about tonight. I'm sure it'll a booming success," he said, a secret smile gracing his features.

Hermione's gut twisted at the word 'booming' but she forced a smile out.

"I'm sure it will Ron. I've got some work to catch up on. I'll see you later?" She offered, giving him a brittle smile as she walked off quickly, not wanting either man to realize that her stomach was a bundle of nerves, or her subconscious was screaming at her to investigate Ron's odd behavior before something really went boom.

"Mia, are you sure you're okay? I think I get the nervous feeling cos I feel it too," Draco muttered lowly, glancing back at Ron's retreating back.

Hermione sighed and tried to rub away the headache that was starting to form while walking to her department, Magical Education. She handled sending out the letters to new students all over Europe, vetoing the N.E.W.T.S and O.W.L.S, confirming the syllabus that was going to be covered in the three magical schools in Europe, Durmstrang Institute, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and of course, Hogwarts.

She glanced at the stack of papers she had to look through, some of suggestions of a new syllabus for various subjects and groaned. Days like this she hated her job. She loved doing anything related to education and it made her happy. She'd teach in Hogwarts but the MOM had tempted her away from teaching by offering her a position she couldn't refuse; head of the department of Magical Education.

"Hermione could you please tell me what's going on?" Draco asked tightly, anger lighting his dark gray eyes.

"I don't really know Draco! It's just a feeling alright? Lay off," she muttered, turning away from him.

Draco clenched his fists tightly, anger radiating off him. He just wanted to protect her. She didn't know this, and would probably freak out if she knew but Draco and her were paired together because he was the strongest Auror in the force, and while he was working with her to show the wizarding world that he was not a bad person and that he'd turned a new leaf, he was also paired with her for her safety.

"Yeah sure. Just owl me if you need me. I need to drop by the Auror's office anyway," he grumbled, then turned away and headed upstairs.

Draco entered the office with a cloud over his face, and Harry quirked an eyebrow as he stormed past his desk.

"Hermione piss you off again?" he asked, snickering as daggers flew from the blonde's eyes.

"Don't remind me Potter. She's so infuriating," he groaned, head hitting the table lightly.

Harry laughed, and continued poking fun at the sullen man, who ignored him and tackled the stack of admin work lying on his desk.

Draco was so absorbed in his work that he didn't realize an owl had come for him, with a note attached. He removed it and fed the owl before reading the note, recognizing Hermione's loopy cursive.

_Sorry for snapping at you earlier. _

_Lunch is ready for pickup at my office. _

_Yes, I made it myself._

_-H.G_

He grinned to himself and almost skipped down to Magical Education, meeting Blaise on his way out.

"Malfoy, smiling? Either you got laid or you're going to get laid," he snorted, looking quizzically at Draco.

"Shut it Zabini. It's better. Hermione cooked for me," he smirked and watched as Blaise narrowed his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Lucky bastard. Anyway I've got to talk to Potter about the security tonight. Stay alert Draco," he warned gravely, and left Draco feeling even more apprehensive about the closing ceremony.

He walked quickly, not wanting to leave Hermione alone for too long. He'd already slacked off his duties for the morning when Hermione told him to scram. A knot formed in his stomach when he thought of the scenarios that could happen in his absence.

"Hermione are you alright?" he asked, bursting through her door.

Hermione glanced up, looking at him as if he'd gone mental.

"I'm fine Draco," she said slowly, and he released the breath he'd been holding.

Draco shook his head, his platinum blonde hair flopping over his forehead as he seated himself in one of the plush chairs she used for guests.

"Sorry. Been on edge lately. Guess you're not the only nervous one around here. Blaise and Potter are wracked with nerves too," he commented, running a hand through his hair.

He accepted the lunch Hermione had packed for him and dug in, almost groaning at how good it tasted.

"Bloody hell Granger, how do you cook like this?" he asked in between mouthfuls.

"Books, and lots of practice. It's like Potions, except you're a little freer to explore without fear of the thing exploding in your face," she giggled.

"That's a lovely sound," he commented without thinking, eyes widening when he registered what he'd said.

"You don't laugh enough Mia. You need to get out more, have some fun, live a little. The War's over. You don't have to keep looking over your shoulder," Draco said, _now that I'm here to protect you you're safe, _he added mentally.

"Yeah, I know, but I guess it's habit. You know, keep calm, composed, know everything, react in anger to you," she added, sending a wink his way.

He snorted, then smiled at her. Not one of his smirks, but a genuine, sincere smile. It gave Hermione the tingles and she could feel her insides melting at the warm and inviting smile he gave her.

They chatted awhile before Draco got up to go back, claiming that he had work to do.

"I'll pick you up at 7:30. Look hot," he smirked, then waltzed out her office.

Hermione pulled out the floor length blue dress she had picked specially for tonight. She loved it because it hugged her in all the right places and shimmered when she moved. The satin inside clung to her, making her legs look sleek, while the chiffon flowed and gave her a soft, feminine look. She pulled her hair into a braided chignon, and pulled some tendrils out, letting them curl around her face. She glanced at the clock and swore. Draco would be picking her up in fifteen minutes and she was nowhere near ready.

"_Locomotor," _she cast, and her foundation, blush, eyeshadow and lipstick rose, making themselves useful.

_Magic. What would I do without you? _She sighed, and heard a knock just as her makeup was putting its final touches on her face for her.

"Granger, hurry up!" he shouted into her house and she scowled.

_I'll show him for rushing me, _she grinned evilly before slipping her feet into her black strappy heels and opened the door.

"Hello Malfoy," she purred, teasing him by batting her eyelashes.

"G-Granger? Holy shit you clean up good," he stumbled, his eyes roving her body.

"Really? I thought you'd like it," she breathed, trailing her hand across his chest, her molten honey eyes meeting his darkening silver ones.

"Don't do that Mia, you don't know what you're playing with," he growled, and Hermione gasped softly as his hand grasped hers, thumb rubbing her palm sensually.

"Play with fire and you get burned," he whispered huskily, pulling her flush against his hard body, trailing his lips along her neck.

"Draco, stop," she breathed.

Her game had gone way out of hand and she was… excited. More excited than she should be.

"Oh I will, _eventually," _he purred huskily before pushing her against the wall and kissing her, _hard. _

She gasped and he took full advantage of it, pushing his tongue into her mouth and completely possessing her. They kissed long and hard, both battling for control, before they finally broke for air.

"Bloody hell Hermione," Draco breathed, resting his head atop hers.

"Mmm," she said, oddly craving more and yet sated.

"Come, if not we'll be late. You might want to fix your lipstick love, it's kind of messy," he commented, taking her by the elbow.

_You just kissed Malfoy, ex-enemy. And oh Merlin he is a hell of a good kisser, _she thought dizzily, trying to regain her bearings.

This was going to one interesting night.

**A/n: Read and Review! Sorry it's so late I'd love to hear your feedback!**

**P.S Thank you for your feedback Anne! I really appreciate it! **


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